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more effectively, the chance of at<br />
least getting decisively closer to attaining<br />
the Lisbon goals by 2010 will<br />
be much better, which will revitalize<br />
enthusiasm.<br />
The European Council of March<br />
22 and 23, 2005, agreed to reform<br />
the Lisbon strategy and to refocus it<br />
on the priorities of growth and employment.<br />
Knowledge and innovation<br />
were designated as vital strands of the<br />
relaunch. Furthermore, the European<br />
Council confirmed the three<br />
(economic, social and environmental)<br />
dimensions of the strategy.<br />
Streamlining the various governance<br />
processes represents a further key<br />
priority of the mid-term review.<br />
Crucial structural reforms<br />
implemented in Austria<br />
in <strong>2004</strong> 6<br />
In <strong>2004</strong>, the Austrian Research Promotion<br />
Agency was founded through<br />
a merger of four previously independent<br />
research companies. The<br />
merger did not include the Austrian<br />
Science Fund. This reform is targeted<br />
at boosting the efficiency of public<br />
R&D promotion. In a few years, an<br />
evaluation will be able to show<br />
whether this step has improved performance.<br />
Austria has succeeded in accelerating<br />
implementation of Internal<br />
Market directives, and after establishing<br />
an implementation watchdog now<br />
ranks among the top third of countries<br />
in terms of implementation<br />
speed. Moreover, under the new<br />
minimum acceptance provisions for<br />
job seekers, the protection unemployed<br />
persons used to have from<br />
being obligated to accept a job outside<br />
their former industry (Berufs-<br />
schutz) has been replaced by a minimum<br />
pay guarantee (Entgeltschutz).<br />
Hence, jobless persons turning down<br />
jobs unrelated to their qualification<br />
after being unemployed for 100 days<br />
will lose their entitlement to unemployment<br />
benefits. However, the income<br />
of the new job must not fall below<br />
75% of job seekersÕ last salaries.<br />
The new acceptance conditions for<br />
the first time stipulate commuting<br />
time limits (no more than a quarter<br />
of the working hours). Moreover,<br />
the government made further progress<br />
on the Administrative Reform<br />
Program, the electronic filing system<br />
ELAK has been in use since <strong>2004</strong>,<br />
and headway was made on paperless<br />
government initiatives, such as public<br />
e-procurement (e-government legislation,<br />
simplification of electronic<br />
communications with public authorities).<br />
Implementing health care reform<br />
and the results of the Constitutional<br />
Convention, whose objective is more<br />
efficient governance relations between<br />
the central, regional and local<br />
government, is still on the Austrian<br />
governmentÕs agenda. A first draft<br />
Federal Constitution was presented<br />
6 Issue Q2/2005 of the OeNBÕs publication Geldpolitik & Wirtschaft (published in English as Monetary<br />
Policy & the Economy), scheduled to appear at the end of June 2005, will cover the topic Ò10 Years of<br />
Austrian EU Membership,Ó presenting studies on structural reforms from a variety of angles.<br />
The Eurosystem Secures Price Stability<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2004</strong> ×<br />
33
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